who says you can't have fun at a hospital.

my baby in the hospital on August 13th after g-tube surgery. Everything went quite well. I will be very happy when we can get the button g-tube put in in three months. dealing with a tube hanging off him again is not what we call fun. I constantly have to thing before I pick him up and we really can't leave him anywhere that someone isn't trained to put it in. Unless we are with in 5minutes away and can get there quick to put it in ourselves...I guess for a few months we will not be going on any dates. Oh well.

WE definitely had a harder time entertaining a mobile child this time around....but dad did a great job. It was harder to have two children too...quite the different experience. I had numerous volunteers ask if I wanted them to take the baby for a break. Ok...people the toddler is the one in the hospital. Not the baby. Ok I admit..this was the second day. but come on look what fun we are having. He was having a blast trying to escape out the door. It was great to work on walking but trying for dad trying to contain him and keep him entertained.
we gave up on trying to keep him off the floor...it was just too hard. We are adjusting and Jackson is not quite as swollen today so we slept better. (it always helps when his sister sleeps too.) Thank you all for your prayers for surgery...we always feel better knowing God is protecting him while he is under the care of another surgeon.

I got ahold of the kidney coordinator finally today. Jackson is scheduled for the rest of his tests on the 9th of September. yipppeee!!! he will be done and ready after those. Adrian was working on scheduling his things today as well. So our hope is to have all completed by the 9th and be able to schedule surgery at that time. Please say prayers that this works out. WE would really like to have a plan and a date to start preparing. Especially for Adrian and work stuff.

that is all we have for now...

my kids have been captured

Darcy did a beautiful job photographing my kids last week. You would never believe that Avenlea wasn't cooperating. They turned out gorgeous.
Jackson's personality was captured to a tee. He was a ham as usual. We did purdue pics and white sox pics for daddy. and then we got created. Due to the little man not having a neck we had to go with t-shirts. but who says you can't have a tie with a tshirt.
Can't wait to get our family pics done too. She does an amazing job. if you want to check them out...got to darcy holsopple photography

LOOK WHO'S TWO

Happy Birthday Jackson!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't believe that two years have passed since the day you were born. With all the trials you have had I am so proud of what you have accomplished by two. Here is a list of the accomplishments you have made.

you have at least a 25 word vocabulary,
you say please for the things you want (actually it is more like peeezzzz),
you have taken your first steps
you have 11 teeth in your mouth
you say cheeeeese every time there is a camera or a cell phone around
you have learned peoples names
you know how to color match with some toys
you know animal sounds and some body parts
you love to push buttons, including mommy's
you have quite the attitude at two
you throw fits when you don't get your way
you have a mind of your own and you are not afraid to use it
you are still not a big fan of eating solid foods, but you have been willing to try some,
you have reached 24 lbs, which was the goal weight for your transplant
we found out that your daddy is a match and can give you his kidney
you have been a trooper through two hip surgeries this year and 14 weeks in a full body cast
you have learned to play the drums
you love to dance to the music while mommy watches: so you think you can dance
you say eey like a pirate for yes
but the answer to every question we ask you is usually no
you like to watch sport center with daddy and love the baseball highlight
you love to help your daddy when he has his tools out
you like to tell us that elmo is on your diaper
you say "uh oh" when you drop something
you love to cuddle with mommy and read books
you are a great big brother and love to find Avenlea's paci whenever she is upset
you give her kisses and tell her you love her too.

I am sure there are many more things you do....but these are the highlights that stick out in my head today. You are a courageous, loving and fantastic two year old! I can't wait to see what you accomplish in the next year. I am so blessed that God entrusted me to be your mom.

Happy Birthday Baby boy!!

Four years

We sat pondering how crazy it is to us in the car today that we have been married only four years and have two beautiful kids. When it feels like it has only been a short time.

it has been four great years and even though there have been trials and many ups and downs. it has only made us closer to each other and our creator. I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

Jackson had his appointment today with Dr Billmire, and we are on our way forward with the first step towards transplant. His G-tube is scheduled to be placed next thursday. We were all kind of shell shocked when they said they could do it that soon. It will be great. it gives him plenty of time to heal before we are ready for the actual transplant.

ladies and gentlemen....I am pleased to announce.

we have a walker on our hands. God has an incredible way of turning a really bad day into a fantastic one. Last wednesday afternoon we got news that Adrian's grandfather had passed. He had been struggling with health for quite a while. So as we were packing and getting things ready to take off on our first long trip with two kiddos, Adrian happened to let go of Jackson's hand while he was standing expecting him to just stand there and he instead decided to take a step forward. I can't tell you the joy that was exclaimed in our house that first time. I know the volume was definitely maxed out. We were really loud. Jackson continued to get more confident each time he made another attempt. The only problem we are having is he still falls over like a tree backwards when he is done trying. we have hit our head many times even with daddy trying his best to catch him before he hits the floor.

Still no news on the transplant front. I have attempted to call today, to see if anyone has the results of the tissue matching. We know it is done, because we got the bill in the mail for it. 7300 dollars just to put two peoples blood together in a test tube and see what it does. Crazy I tell you. crazy.

We are resting and recouping for just a couple days and then we are back to doctors visits...we see the developmental pediatrician on wednesday. then we are headed to Riley on thursday to meet with jackson's surgeon and discuss G-tube surgery. then we will see his urologist and have the regular gamet of testing done on friday as well.

that is our update for now. hope you enjoy the video as much as we did. I never would have guessed the little man would be accomplishing such a milestone before his second birthday. Way to Go Jackson!!!

One sweet big brother and a precious little girl....

we spent a lazy saturday today. well I should say some of us did. I was doing laundry and scrapping while my family was napping on the couch. I have to say the alone and quiet time was much appreciated.
Jackson has been very cute lately with the baby...he will crawl over when she is on the floor and whisper...hey baby...and if she is crying he trys to give her kisses or will find her paci and try and put it in for her. here he is giving her kisses. He is a ham for the most part...but when it comes to his little sister he is all heart.
we spent some time tonight...getting some pictures of Avenlea...she finally was sleeping soundly enough that we could position her. well all of her but her hands...those she still controled.. I think they turned out pretty cute. the last one is my favorite. She is so precious. I never thought my daughter would bring out the girly part of me ....but oh how she has.




I even bought ribbon today to make bows for her hair. Oh and after someone asked me how my baby boy was...I think I am going to make some headbands too. Since obviously they didn't see the purple and pink polka dot blanket with the pink, green and blue flowered sleeper. Either that or they dress their boys way different than this mom does.

Avenlea has been doing ok. I have to apologize to everyone that I hung out with last week...for my crabbiness. We haven't been getting a whole lot of sleep around here. Between Jackson's teething of his slowly moving two year molars, plus a couple and Avenlea being completely uncomfortable and discontent at night. It is hard to believe a baby can calm thy self simply by being held. She is extremely gassy too. So I have been trying to watch what I eat as well. Someone told me that all the things I couldn't eat while I was prego could be hard for her to digest now with breast milk...if that is the case we are in trouble..because I pretty much could only eat cereal while i was prego. Someone also mentioned the C word...but I am still praying against Colic. I was gently reminded by my mother that I was a great baby for the first 5 weeks of my life and then for the next few months, I was a little too much to handle. I would like to think that with what we have been through with Jackson, God would pardon me from the pay back for being colicy myself, but who knows. Right now we have both children in bed and I should head that way myself. If all goes well...the whole family could get two good nights of sleep in a row.

Jackson's buddy Lauren

wow...what a week. I am not sure what we are going to do with ourselves this next week. Jackson and I had visitors from mn for 12 whole days. My niece lauren and my mom came out on July 3rd via the train and they just left today. Lauren was such a big help...if she wasn't entertaining and playing with Jackson, she wanted to hold Avenlea, or play SKIPBO. It was so much fun to have her and to see what an incredible little lady she is becoming. Avenlea rested very nicely, as you can see in her cousins arms... When lauren wasn't helping with the kids we were coming up with things to do. She got to pick raspberries right in our backyard. This summer we found we have wild black raspberries in our easement. delicious. We made raspberry cream pie and raspberry syrup for pancakes. YUMO!!
She got a lesson from Adrian and then she was on her own. They had a contest on who could pick more. however Adrian stole hers and put them in his bowl so he could win. right lauren? We also entertained ourselves with a trip to the zoo in south bend for Jackson's therapy.
lauren pulled him around in a wagon and told him who all the animals were. We fed the fish and went in the petting zoo...to brush the goats. It was a great day that was a perfect temperature.
then we had play time in the pool.....cold at first but jack got use to it...he wanted to be like lauren. as i am typing this he is saying hi to lauren and waving at the screen. this boy is going to miss her. we also went to the park and took macy on walks...her and macy became quite good buddies too. on thursday we headed to amish country. to eat at the Essenhaus. Lauren enjoyed homemade chicken noodle soup and of course peanut butter...amish style. Then we headed to shipshe...to the carousel and the little stores. Jackson wasn't sure of the carousel...,but lauren enjoyed. Lauren taught Jackson so many things...the cutest was how to play the drums...she showed him how to tap them together and say 5, 6, 7, 8...then drumming. it is adorable. I think we have a future musician on our hands.

On Saturday the rest of the crew joined us as Jeremy and Sara came out to see Avenlea and to pick up their little girl that I think they missed a great deal. It was great to be able to take a pciture of all the grandkids. Here is the five of them. Jackson is quite outnumbered.
to say the least we had a very busy week...and thanks to my mom i have a very clean house with my laundry all caught up and clean window. So I am feeling pretty good.

on a Jackson note: we are cutting a massive amount of teeth..and so far he is not a drooler...and really isn't except on certain occasions....like tonight. we have three molars, two eye teeth and the tooth right next to the front two...all coming in at the same time...poor kiddo.